Updated: The best Apple iPad Air and mini tablet deals of Black Friday 2014

[Update] By now we know Apple will once again offer iTunes gift cards with the purchase of iPads at full price, though the amounts are slightly less generous than last year — and less than what Target is providing this year. Note, however, that most iPads on Target's website were out of stock by Thanksgiving evening. Alternately, MacMall is shaving a small amount off the purchase price of any iPad, such as $40 off a 16GB iPad Air 2.

They may not be the phenomenon they once were, but Apple iPads have become a perennial holiday present, and getting the best deal on one has become a Black Friday tradition. That's thanks in part to Apple's unwillingness (and lack of a need) to put its products on sale with any regularity. As a result, retailers need to get creative to differentiate their deals from the competition — after all, if everyone is selling the iPad Air 2 for the same price as Apple, what leads you to choose one store or another?

In some cases, the answer has been to offer store gift cards when you purchase an Apple product for the full price. That can be a nice enticement if you want to buy other items in the store, but not as exciting if you aren't interested. Another option is to purchase a previous generation of iPad, which has become a popular option as the rate of innovation in the tablet space has winnowed.

Here are the best deals you can find this Black Friday on a half-dozen iPad models, including the free gift card specials that many shoppers appreciate. Since new deals can crop up at any time in the week leading up the shopping holiday — Apple itself, for instance, waits until the last minute before posting its deals — we'll update this as necessary.

iPad Air 2

As the newest full-size iPad, the Air 2 is going to be difficult to find with any kind of discount, but there are ways to get a deal out of buying one. If you're looking just for the lowest price, Best Buy wins with its doorbuster, which is $100 off any version (16GB, 64GB, or 128GB), though you'll have to be at a store during dinner time on Thanksgiving to grab one. (Many versions of the iPad 2 were already sold out online at BestBuy's site by early Thanksgiving evening.) Alternately, eBay has promised up to 20 percent savings on a new Air 2, though its ad does not list specific prices.

If you don't mind paying full price in exchange for store credit, Target is offering a $140 gift card with purchase -- and you can grab one anytime during the Black Friday shopping weekend. With no iPad Air 2 deal in its ad, Walmart has sprung to action and throws in a $100 gift card with a purchase (the tablet is already $10 lower than list price) now through Thanksgiving, letting you get a jump on shopping.

iPad mini 3

The latest iPad mini will get similar deals as its bigger brother, though as a less inexpensive tablet, the sales are a little less generous. For instance, Best Buy is offering $75 off instead of $100, while Target is giving out $100 gift cards instead of $140. You'll get the same $100 gift card from Walmart as you would buying an iPad Air 2, and it's $10 off the list price ($389 for the 16GB model instead of $399), so you make out a little better than at Target if you can find other items to use the gift card on at Walmart.

iPad Air

Despite Apple's best efforts, it hasn't entirely convinced the world that its latest generation of tablet represent a giant a leap for iPad-kind. Older models can do the job for many, at lower prices, something even Apple realizes as it keeps selling them. Another plus around Black Friday is that many more retailers have previous editions in stock, so more deals are available to consumers.

Such is the case with the first generation iPad Air (now starting at $399), which is a little slower and a little less svelte than its successor, but more than enough tablet for many. There are a number of sales on it, including a $299 price on the 16GB configuration at hhgregg, though unfortunately, that's another Thanksgiving afternoon doorbuster. If you'd rather get up early the next morning, Sam's Club will have the same price at its warehouse stores, though it promises only four to eight tablets per location. (Luckily, the deal is also available for club members online.)

Not quite as aggressive, Staple's deal on the first-generation Air is still pretty good at $319 for the 16GB model. What's more notable is that the retailer is also taking $90 off the price of the 32GB version, which means you can get twice the storage for the same $359 price that Micro Center will have the 16GB edition on sale for. (It's selling the 32GB Air for $399.99.) Again, the option of paying full price plus receiving store credit is available, with both Target and Walmart giving out $100 cards. Costco is throwing in a $40 iTunes gift card with the purchase of a 32GB iPad Air, though you'll probably have more money to spend on iTunes by just purchasing the same version at Staples.

iPad mini 2

The iPad mini received even less of a facelift than the Air with its latest iteration, making the previous model a great value with its Retina display. This Black Friday, you can even grab one for less than the current full price for the original iPad mini (though, as you will see shortly, you can pick up an original mini for much less as well). Staples wins with a $239 deal -- $60 off -- though you can get also grab one for $20 off from hhgregg or Micro Center. But Staples' ad doesn't indicate any kind of special for a 32GB version. For that, Micro Center beats out hhgregg by $10 ($319.99 compared to $329.99). Alternatively, you can pay the full price at Target, but receive a $100 gift card for your trouble.

iPad mini

While the step up to the Retina display is enough of a reason to get the iPad mini 2 over the original, there are still reasons to purchase the first version (which is why Apple continues to sell it). It's the lowest priced iPad on the market, and that makes it perfect for children, who might not discern the difference in screen resolution -- or at least not care because now they have an iPad!

Walmart is making an exception to its Black Friday iPad strategy and offering a discount on the iPad mini. At 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening, you'll be able to fight the throngs in order to get one for $199 ($50 off) plus a $30 store gift card. No one else has matched that price yet, but you can save $20 at Micro Center. Thanks to its low price, an iPad mini purchase at Target yields the least generous gift card, but $80 is still plenty to use towards other holiday shopping.

iPad with Retina display/iPad 2

Believe it or not, you can still find the iPad 2 available as a "refurbished" model for sale this Black Friday at Micro Center for $229.99. If you're sticking with the old school, but want a sharper screen, you can also track down the iPad with Retina display (known informally as the "iPad 3"). Staples is offering it for $279, while Midwest chain Meijer charges a little more ($299), but throws in $100 of store credit with the purchase -- though its deal is only on Thanksgiving. Consider these only if you need maximum screen real estate for the lower price, as the iPad mini 2 is otherwise equal or superior to either and can often be found for less.

Sales on these devices don't always yield big discounts, but here's how to save a little on these popular holiday gifts.

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iPad with Retina display/iPad 2

Believe it or not, you can still find the iPad 2 available as a "refurbished" model for sale this Black Friday at Micro Center for $229.99. If you're sticking with the old school, but want a sharper screen, you can also track down the iPad with Retina display (known informally as the "iPad 3"). Staples is offering it for $279, while Midwest chain Meijer charges a little more ($299), but throws in $100 of store credit with the purchase -- though its deal is only on Thanksgiving. Consider these only if you need maximum screen real estate for the lower price, as the iPad mini 2 is otherwise equal or superior to either and can often be found for less.